ABOVE: Charles Porter of Porter Home Refresh powerwashes the deck of a house in Fairmont. Powerwashing is one of several services the new small business does. Submitted photo

FAIRMONT – A new business in town is looking to refresh homes in the Fairmont area.

Porter Home Refresh is co-owned by Charles and Amanda Porter. Charles had spent the last six years working in construction and picked up several of the skills he’d need to form Porter Home Refresh. He said he also learned a lot from his time in the Army National Guard.

“Hard work’s the big one,” he said. “Staying consistent and if you have an idea, run with it.”

Ultimately, a choice to change their situation to better raise their daughter gave them the courage they needed.

“It was probably about spring of last year when I stopped doing construction and looked into a different career,” Charles said. “I looked into a few different fields and jobs. At the end of it, it was, ‘Hey, why don’t we go into business for ourselves?”

“We’re gonna be transitioning to me being a stay-at-home mom,” Amanda said. “He was looking for a better way to support us.”

The main piece of their business is pressure washing, including for sidewalks, driveways and patios. The couple’s main goals for their services go beyond that.

“We’re not just a pressure washing company,” Amanda said. “We want to make sure that customers are satisfied with how their home looks and what the feel of their home is. Our model is after the service is done, a few days later, Charles goes back to the client and looks over the work, makes sure that the client is satisfied with where it’s at.”

Mold treatments and repairs for issues like brickwork cracks are also within their wheelhouse. So far, they have been in business for just shy of a month and have been stunned by the volume of interest they’ve received.

“In our first 21 days, we’ve already booked seven jobs,” Amanda said. “Pressure washing season doesn’t kick off until June, and the fact that we’ve already got seven booked jobs for this month alone is pretty astounding.”

“I was expecting to be a little couple months, and then end of season, when things would get real busy, and things would progress,” Charles said. “But instead, it is right out the gate for us.”

To start off with, Porter Home Refresh is using an industrial power washer with a mixture of soft soap and dish soap.

“All the chemicals out there, and dish soap really helps penetrate better than anything,” Charles said.

As time goes on, Charles Porter said they can do power washing indoors in the winter, but are also considering snow removal and additional interior repair work. Looking forward, the Porters are seeking to hit the ground running and establish a foothold.

“Build a good name for ourselves in this new business, and hopefully be able to expand,” Charles said. “I’d like to be able to have a few crews going, help our town get cleaner by the day.”

For more information, visit facebook.com/PorterHomeRefresh or call 605-988-4235.